German WePad to bite into Apple's iPad market

Published: Wednesday, April 14, 2010, 13:58 [IST]

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Berlin, Apr 14: Apple Inc's iPad may be enjoying the whole tablet computer market for now but it may not be the same for long as a German company has decided to take a bite into the market with all new WePad.

Neofonie GmbH, which will be producing the new tablet PCs, aims at appealing to the cosumers with bigger and better technology. The WePads will feature bigger screen, a webcam and USB ports.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Apr 12 here, the company's founder and managing director Helmut Hoffer von Ankershoffen clarified that it is not an 'iPad killer' as dubbed by some blogs.

He stressed on the system's openness and on the features absent in iPad. For instance, the two USB ports allow users to connect all kinds of devices with the WePad, from external keyboards to data sticks.

In a scathing blow to Apple's iTunes, the founder said, "People who want to put music on their WePad do not have to have any particular software."

The WePad is set to hit the markets in Jul 2010 with complete open source office package.

The WePad"s basic version, which comes with Wi-Fi and 16-gigabyte storage, is set to cost euro 449 (600 dollars), the larger 32-gigabyte version with a fast 3G modem is euro 569. iPad on the other hand costs $499 for the smallest version.

Given WePad's technological superiority and greater openness, “that"s a bargain compared with the iPad", said Ankershoffen, who believes that sales will be not in thousands nor tens of thousands but much more by the end of the year.